AMPLE GREEN SPACES KEY DRAW IN WALDEN
Competitive prices also drew couple to new community in southeast
It’s been a memorable few months for Amanda and Matt Lydon.
In late 2017, the young couple not only got married but bought a new home, giving them a place that will fit their needs for the long haul. They’re in a two-bedroom townhome, but with the potential for starting a family over the next few years, they wanted something they could grow into. As such, their hearts were set on a home with more bedrooms, larger square footage, and a yard.
This took them to Walden, where the Lydons bought the Waverly by Excel Homes, a model “we fell in love with,” says Amanda, who works as a contract analyst.
The home is 1,594 square feet and has a double-car, rear-detached garage.
Walden is a master-planned community in southeast Calgary by Genstar Development Co. The couple liked its “competitive pricing” on laned single-family homes, and were impressed with its connectivity and welcoming parks, says Matt, a commercial analyst who coaches basketball in his downtime.
“It has a lot of area allocated to green space,” he adds. “That was a selling feature.” In this regard, it’s been busy in Walden, says Travis Putnam, project manager for Genstar.
In 2017, Genstar completed half of the community’s main park, and it will be fully complete in 2018.
The park measures 16 hectares (40 acres), boasts a pond feature, and is wrapped in more than two kilometres of pathways, which connect to the regional pathway network.
Walden has eight kilometres of pathways, in total.
“It’s promoting that healthy lifestyle vision that young professionals and families will really appre- ciate and share with their friends and family.”
Development on a soccer field in the community completed in 2017 and a ball diamond will be added in 2018.
In total, Walden has 49 hectares (122 acres) of green space.
“It’s well over the 10 per cent requirement for green space in a community, which is great,” Putnam says.
The Lydons will use these spaces and pathways for outings with Cooper, their Cavalier King Charles spaniel and miniature poodle cross.
For extended walks, they can even head over to Fish Creek Provincial Park. Genstar says the regional pathway from Walden down to Chaparral Valley, past the Blue Devil Golf Course to the river pathway system reaches Fish Creek Provincial Park within about a 10-minute bike ride.
Both Amanda and Matt grew up in Douglasdale, a community that offers convenient access to the expansive park, “so it was something we valued in a new build,” Matt says.
Walden also gives residents the convenience of established shops, services and places to eat — within walking distance or a quick drive from their home.
The Gates of Walden is a commercial development with businesses including banks, restaurants, a gas station, coffee shop, nail salon, medical clinic, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Save- OnFoods grocery store.
Both Matt and Amanda have jobs in downtown Calgary and say the commute was a factor in their decision. Walden provides a direct link to Macleod Trail, giving them a straight shot to the city’s core.
Having spent most of their lives in south Calgary, it’s where they have roots.
“Spending time with family and friends is a big deal to me, that’s why being in the south was very important,” Amanda says.
In fact, being with the people they care about was something they considered in picking the floor plan they did.
“All of our friends are in the south, so we do big dinners,” says Amanda. On the Waverly floor plan, she says, “It has a big openconcept main floor, which I absolutely love because we love to entertain.”
It has an L-shaped kitchen along the back of the home, central dining area, and front-facing great room.
Amanda enjoys cooking, so the right kitchen was key. The Waverly is displayed as a show home in the community of Mahogany with an upgraded kitchen. The Lydons were fans, and decided to do the same, says Amanda, calling the upgraded edition “pretty amazing.”
This includes a wall oven, chimney-style hood fan, gas cook top, and cabinets to the ceiling with crown moulding.
The main floor also features a functional pocket office. Tucked away from the eyes of guests, it’s there for stashing mail and other day-to-day paperwork.
“It (also) helps us out with organization and gives an area where we can get away if we have to do work on anything,” says Matt.
Along with Excel, other laned home builders in the community include Cardel Homes and Homes by Avi. This segment starts in the high $300,000s, including lot and GST. These builders, along with Homes by Avi, Cedarglen Homes, Arcuri Homes, Cardel Homes, and California Custom Homes, are building move-up single-family homes in the community, as well.
Earlier this year, Genstar released its first ridge lots in the community. There are 24, and they measure 34 feet wide. They start in the $600,000s, and are available through Arcuri, Cardel Homes and California Custom Homes.
Walden also offers duplexes by Cardel Homes, Homes by Avi, and Excel Homes, along with multi-family options by Avi Urban, Cardel Lifestyles, and Rockford Development. New sites by Gable Craft Homes and Avi Urban are slated to start pre-construction sales in the near future.